Sprint: 15 LTE phones, tablets & modems by end of 2012

Sprint has promised that its first dual-mode CDMA/LTE phones will reach the market in the first half of 2012, with the expectation of 15 LTE-capable phones, tablets and data cards/modems/mobile hotspots on sale by the end of next year. The carrier confirmed its LTE plans earlier today, with the new devices set to run on a network Sprint expects to have operational in 2012, PC Mag’s Sascha Segan reports.

However, there’ll also be multi-mode CDMA/WiMAX/LTE mobile hotspots on offer, giving mobile data users an option to get online with WiMAX initially and then transition to LTE later, rather than see their modem instantly outdated after Sprint’s agreement with Clearwire expires at the end of next year. Manufacturers HTC and Motorola have already confirmed that they will be providing phones for the new LTE network, though given they’re two of the bigger names that we already associate with LTE devices that comes as little surprise.

Meanwhile Sprint’s Android phones will come with the option to download a new push-to-talk (PTT) app. The carrier hopes to shift people away from iDEN so that it can use the frequency band for further LTE deployment, as well as looking to a deal with LightSquared for coverage in 2015.